William h



(No Model.)

W. H. BUTLER.

CIGARETTE CASE N4 PETEns, www-Uumnmpher. washingmn. D. c.

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WILLIAM H. BUTLER, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE KINNEY TOBACCO COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CIGARETTE-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,641, dated February 3, 1885.

Application tiled October 29, 1384. (No model.)

b @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM H. BUTLER, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State ot' New 5 York, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Cigarette Cases, fully described and represented in the following specification and theaccoxnpanying d rawings, forni4 ing a part of the Sallie.I I@ This invention relates to a case or package which is especially adapted for use in putting up cigarettes in small lots suitable t'or the retail trade, and which is also designed to form a convenient pocket-receptacle l'or the i5 cigarettes until the lot is consumed.

The details in the constructioii ot' the case and also the manner of using the same Will be hereinafter so fully described and explained as to render a further preliminary description 2O unnecessary to a proper understanding ofthe invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a case constructed according to the present invention, the cover 25 being opened and the contents removed. 2 is a back View of the same. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of the case, showing the cover closed. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the cover opened; and Figs. 5 to 13, in-

3@ elusive, illustrate modifications which will be hereinafter explained.

Referring to said iigures, it is to be understood that the case therein shown consists, essentially, ot' a tubular body, 4, one end ot' 55 which is provided with a hinged cover, 13, while the other end is closed, either by a similar hinged cover or by a rigid bottom, 14, a tubular case or sheath, 15, which is open at both ends, and in which the body 4 is ar- 4o ranged to slide freely, and an opening tape,

cord, or ribbon, 9, one end of which is attached to the ccver13, while its other end is attached either to the cover or bottom 14, or to the sheath 15. The body 4, cover and bot- 45 tom 13 14, and sheath 15 may be made of paper, cardboard, leather, or any other suitable material which is sufficiently rigid to cause the case to maintain its shape. The case will preferably be made of the form 5o shown, but it may be round, oval, rectangular, polygonal, or ot' any other form in crosssection. The cover 13 is ot' suitable size to t just tit into the end ol" the sheath 15 and close the end of the body 4, and is provided at one side with a flexible hinge, 2, ot' cloth or other suitable material, by which it is connected to the body in such mannerthatit can be turned up to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5,6,

tt, 10, and 13` ordown to the position shown in Figs. 3, 7, 8, 11, and 12. It may consist ot' 60 a plain disk, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and 8 to 12, or it may be provided with a iange, 3,

as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 13, which tits inside the end ofthe sheath and forms a continuation ot' the body when the cover is closed. 65 rIhis flange does not, however, in the preferred construction, extend around the entire circumference of the cover, but is arranged to join at its ends with a projection, 1, eze tending from the body, and to which the hinge 7c 2 is attached. The hinge 2 may be made of cloth or other flexible material, or the projection 1 may be sufficiently iiexible to form the hinge, as shown in Fig. 13. This construction enables the hinge to be located at 7 the edge of the cover, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 13, and causes the cover to open and close more freely. The opening tape or ribbon 9 is attached at one end to the front edge of the cover 13 and at its other end to the cover or 8o bottom 14, or to the tubular sheath 15. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, it passts around the back of the sheath and is attached to the part 14, while, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, it is attached to the back of the sheath. 85

Instead of being attached to the outside of the sheath, as in Figs. 8 and 9, the tape or ribbon 9 may pass between the sheath and body and be attached to the inside of the sheath, ifpreferred. In any case the ribbon go 9 will be of such length that when the body is slid into the sheath and the cover closed, as iu Figs. 3, 7, and 8, it will be drawn taut and lie close to the case.

The inanner of using the case just described g5 is as follows: Vhen it is desired to open the case to take out a cigarette, pressure will be applied to the bottom 14, so as to slide the body partly out of the sheath. This will cause the ribbon 9 to draw upon the cover 13, so as ioo to open it and swing it up tothe position shown in Figs. 1, 2,y 4, 5, 6, and 9, thereby eX- posing the ends ofthe cigarettes, so that they can be readily Withdrawn. To close the case, it is only necessary to slide the body back into the sheath,which will slacken the ribbon 9, so that the cover 13 can be readily turned back to its closed position.

In order to more fully expose the ends of the cigarettesso that they can be readily withdrawn when the body is slid out of the sheath, the front of the body will preferably be cut away, as shown at 8, so as to leave a portion of the sides as well as the ends of the cigarettes exposed at that point.

It will be observed that the case just described is very simple in its construction and can be produced at a small cost, and also that by reason of its peculiarities of construction the act of opening the case also brings the cigarettes into 4position to be readily withdrawn, which is a feature of great advantage and importance in a case ot' this character.

In some cases it may be desired to so construct the case that the cigarettes can be with drawn from either end. To do this itis only necessary to hinge the bottom 14 so that it can be turned back the sanne as the cover 13, or, in other Words, provide a hinged cover at each end of the body 4. Vhen each end of the body is provided witha cover, the covers may be of either of the constructions already described, and the opening tape or ribbon 9 will be arranged as already described in connection With Figs. 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, and as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 12.

When thus constructed,the operation of the case is as follows: To Withdraw the cigarettes from one end of the case, the body 4 will be slid partially out at that end of the sheath, as shown in Fig. 10. To Withdraw the cigarettes from the other end, the body will be slid partially out at the other end of the sheath, as shown in Fig. 11. To close the case,the body will be slid back into the sheath, as shown in Fig. 12.

Although the case herein described is especially adapted for cigarettes, yet it will be found Well ttedfor use as a receptacle for many other classes of articles which it is desirable to put up in packages or cases of this character. f

1. The combinatiomwith the tubular sheath 15. of the tubular body 4, having the cover 13 hinged to and arranged to close its end, and the opening tape or ribbon 9, substantially as described.

2. The con1bination,\vith the tubular sheath 15, of the tubular body 4,'having the hinged cover 13 and the bottom 14, and the opening tape or ribbon 9, attached to said cover and bottom, substantially as described.

3. rPhe combination,with the tubular sheath 15, Aof the tubular body 4, having the hinged covers 13 14, and the opening tape or ribbon 9,attached toboth ot' said covers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. H. BUTLER.

Witnesses: A

ROBT. VIsEMAN, T. H. PALMER. 

